Online Tips:

The simplest way of accessing your free credit report is to either call or to mail for the report. Please see the tips below for more information about these ways of accessing your credit report. However, if you do decide to retrieve your free credit report via the Internet at the official www.annualcreditreport.com site, please make sure you go to the correct site. You do not have to pay to receive your free annual credit report. If you are on a site that is asking you to pay for your credit report, double check the spelling of the site, or use the call-in and mail-in methods.

Here are some more details on how to get to the right site:

Online Tip: Beware of Imposter Domains

Check to make sure you are accessing the official annualcreditreport.com site. Many fake, imposter domains have been put up. These domains can be very misleading, and typically will not help you find your way to your federally mandated free credit report.

Below are two graphics. The first graphic is of a typical ” imposter ” domain. Note that only one letter is misspelled. The second graphic is of the official annualcreditreport.com site. Notice that the real site has an address that begins with “https: .” This extra “s” at the end of the http:// means that it is a secure site. Compare the two graphics, then click here to access the official site:< http://www.annualcreditreport.com>. The FTC also has a consumer alert page with information about imposter domains: <http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt156.shtm>.

An imposter annualcreditreport.com site:

The real AnnualCreditReport.com site: (please note, some graphics on the real site may change …. look for the https: in the address bar, and double check the spelling of the address.)

Online tip: Do not use a library or public computer to access your free credit report.

Online tip: Giving An Email Address is Voluntary

Know that you are not required to give out your email address in order to obtain a federally mandated free credit report.

Phone and Mail Tips:

Phone and mail tip: Ask to mask all but the last four digits of your SSN

When phoning the toll free number (877-322-8228) for a free credit report, ask that only the last four digits of your SSN are displayed. You will be given this option during the automated ordering process. If you mail in for your report, after you download the mail-in form, you will see the following text in a box near the bottom of the page:

“Shade here if, for security reasons, you want your credit report to include no more than the last four digits of your Social Security Number.” This is where you can indicate your preference.

Phone and Mail tip: Get Your Report Mailed to a Secure Mailbox

If you call for your report or have it mailed to you, make sure your credit report is mailed to mailbox that you are certain is secure. Also see tip #4: ask to mask all but the last four digits of your SSN when the report is mailed to you. You will see the masking option on the form

Phone Tips:

The Annualcreditreport phone system is an automated system. When you call, expect that you will not speak to a live operator. The system uses the phone number you are calling from to confirm your identity (among other things), so if you have a home phone, this would be the best number to call from. You can call from other phone numbers and receive the report, but it may speed up the process to dial from your home phone.

Phone tip: If you have a long or complex last name, or have a strong regional accent, you may have trouble using the automated phone system.

We have received some complaints from people who have had trouble with the automated phone system. Some of the complaints are from consumers who had either very long or complex names, or those who had strong accents. If you have consistent troubles using the phone system, the next preferred method is to use the mail method. Be sure to see the mailing method tips.

This new WPF report finds that medical identity theft is still a crime that causes great harms to its victims, and that it is growing overall in the United States; however, there’s a catch. The national consumer complaint data suggests that the crime is growing at different rates in different states and regions of the US, creating medical identity theft “hotspots.” These hotspots are important for patients, policymakers, and healthcare stakeholders to know about so as to address potential risks.

WPF has conducted original research on India's Aadhaar, a national biometric ID system, including field research in India during 2010-2014. WPF has published the original research in a peer-reviewed journal, Nature-Springer, and in Harvard-based Journal of Technology Science. The research found that systemic challenges to data protection and privacy exist in the Aadhaar system, challenges which do have potential remedies. Key lessons can be learned for both the US and the EU as biometric systems grow in popularity.